Duke (Thomas and Friends)
Railway Series= |-|Model Series= Duke *'Number': SR 8, originally MSR 1 *'Designers': George England and CM Holland *'Builder': Boston Lodge *'Built': 1879 *'Gauge:' 2ft 3in *'Configuration': 0-4-0ST+T *'Arrived on Sodor': 1880 *'Restored': 1982 Duke, named after the Duke of Sodor and originally called The Duke, is a narrow gauge tender engine, who is considered a hero amongst the engines. He is also one of the oldest engines on Sodor. Bio In the Railway Series Duke was built at Boston Lodge in Minffordd, Wales in 1879 before being transported to Sodor for the opening of the Mid Sodor Railway in 1880. In 1947, the line closed and Duke was sheeted and sheltered in the Arlesdale Sheds. He believed that The Duke of Sodor would come to rescue him, but as time went on, he did not show, and Duke began to have doubts which grew stronger and stronger. He was later discovered by Mr. Fergus Duncan, the Reverend Teddy Boston and the Reverend W. Awdry in 1969 and taken by road and rail to Crovan's Gate, where he was restored and returned to service in 1982. He now works on the Skarloey Railway. In the Television Series Duke lived on the Mid Sodor Railway with several engines including Stuart, Falcon, and briefly Smudger, until the line went bankrupt and Stuart and Falcon were sold. Duke, however, was sheeted until a group of adventurers found his shed, buried under soil that had washed down from the mountains. Skarloey and Rheneas took him back to the Skarloey Railway, where he was soon returned to service. Persona Duke is one of the oldest and most experienced engines of the Skarloey Railway. He is also the mentor of Peter Sam and Sir Handel, from their younger days on the Mid Sodor Railway, when they were called Stuart and Falcon respectively. Although once lost for many years in an old shed that nature tucked away and forgot, after the Mid Sodor Railway came to an end, he was found by rescuers, although quite by accident, when one dropped in through his shed roof. He may have a head teacher attitude and maintain his authority at all times, but can be quick to apply his knowledge and years of experience to help guide and correct any younger engine. He is proud of his name and keen to uphold the respect it merits. He can often be heard to say "That would never suit his Grace!" upon hearing or seeing something that he takes a disapproval to, or pedantically stating how he thinks someone would've adhered to the rules and regulations in his young days. Despite their teasing ways, Sir Handel and Peter Sam in particular have grown to become very fond of Duke and dearly nicknamed him "Granpuff" for his long service to the railway. Basis The story of Duke being rediscovered was based upon a true story about an engine abandoned in the Brazilian rainforest. Duke himself is based on Prince, a George England tender engine from the Ffestiniog Railway at Porthmadog, North Wales. Bertram is another member of this class. Livery In the Railway Series, Duke was painted dark red-brown with red lining. On the Mid Sodor Railway, Duke was numbered 1 and his tender bears the Mid Sodor Railway's crest. When he moved to the Skarloey Railway, he wasn't repainted red with yellow and blue lining and doesn't bear the number 8 for unknown reasons. In Great Little Engines and New Little Engine, he was painted brown. In the television series, Duke was painted brown with yellow lining and has two red plaques on either side of his saddletank with his name written in gold. On the Reverend W. Awdry's model railway, he had "The Duke" written on his sides and "MS" written on his tender. Appearances Gallery File:Granpuff11.png|link=Granpuff File:Bulldog(TAFepisode)17.png|link=Bulldog (Thomas and Friends episode) Merchandise Gallery File:OriginalWoodenRailwayDuke.jpg|1997 Wooden Railway File:WoodenRailwayDuke.jpg|2009 Reintroduced Wooden Railway File:TrackMasterDuke.png|TrackMaster File:BandaiTECDuke.png|Bandai TEC Category:Male characters Category:Thomas and Friends characters Category:Tender engines Category:Characters Category:Films, TV Shows And Wildlife Wiki